What roads are covered by the new ban?

HGV restrictions consultation now live

The statutory consultation relating to the proposed introduction of HGV restrictions along Upper Hale Road, Folly Hill, Castle Street and Odiham Road is now live. People can give their feedback until 15 April 2021. If approved, the restrictions could be in place by the summer.

The consultation on banning HGVs except for access (this is confirmed as access to roads that can only be accessed from the sections of roads in questions not beyond the area) is ongoing: Timescale advised in the Farnham Board Meeting on the 19th of March

• Statutory Consultation: 19/03/2021 - 16/04/2021;

• Review consultation responses, make order, procure signs, arrange for lane rental / traffic management for safe installation: 19/04/2021 - 11/05/2021;

• Implementation (signage installation): 17/05/2021 - 14/06/2021;

• Order legally enforceable: 14/06/2021 onwards.

Members noted a further increase in HGV movements in North Farnham particularly on the Upper Hale Road after the survey on the 23rd of February 2021. This message was sent to Jeremy Hunt MP and the other members of the Farnham Board by one of our Members on the 13th of March

We’ve Had Enough

I fully support the effort by all involved in the Farnham Infrastructure Programme (FIP) in trying to make our lives better however, there is one aspect that seems to be falling on deaf ears and that is the recent huge increase in volume of Tipper and Skip lorries particularly in north Farnham and the Upper Hale Road (UHR).

Concerns were first raised to the FIP about this in early February after attending the Local Liaison Forums.

Subsequently, members of the North Farnham Voice group (NFV) carried out two surveys on 23.2.2021 at two locations, one was at the Collard waste handling site in Beacon Hill Road (B3013) just over the border in Hampshire and the second just to the west of the Folly Hill Traffic Lights (A3016). These surveys confirmed that on the day, there were some 212 vehicle movements in and out of the Collard site and that there were almost 300 at the Folly Hill location. The disparity transpired that other similar sites, Comley in Odiham (also in Hampshire), Earthline on the A31 west of Farnham to name but two of many are all using each others sites disposing or collecting differing ground materials and travelling to/from different locations.

The outcome of this survey was sent to members of the FIP for their comments to which the response was that the study undertaken by them was back in 2019 & 2020. This is now far out of date as Collards have increased capacity at their site and based on the survey date appear to be exceeding their Licence by at least four times. There has been a massive tree clearance at the site recently for further expansion? Why is this not setting off alarm bells?

Since the survey (23.2.2021) there now seems to have been a further increase in volume as massive 20 and 40 yard roll-on/roll-off vehicles are now evident obviously increasing the volume even more. On the UHR we are now getting approx 40 to 50 lorries per hour thundering past our houses. Most of these are exceeding the speed limit as they are obviously paid by the load.

I see little point in the suggested running of Speed Watch campaigns (in Castle Street) as this will not solve the problem It will only prove a point, for who’s ears?

The advice received back from the FIP that it is up to us as individuals to raise our concerns direct to the Environmental Agency and Hampshire County Council if we want to try and get something done. Why is it up to us and not our Councillors who represent us with our concerns to act on our behalf? What hope have we as individuals unless we get the support of the big guns?

The backing of North Farnham Voice group, The Farnham Society etc. would also help to back this up?

The proposed HGV through traffic ban will not stop this as the culprits will claim they require access. Clearly, if they are going to the new estate in Folly Hill this will be allowed but most are cutting through to the A31 and to where? Is this access? How will it be policed?

Our quality of life here on the Upper hale Road has been affected hugely with this blight as have many other roads in the area.

PLEASE we need the help of stronger voices to EA and HCC and we need it now before activities at these sites are allowed to expand further.

This response was received from Jeremy Hunt MP

HGV numbers

The Farnham Herald letters page, Thursday 4th March 2021 - Vol.130 No.35

MOST READERS will know that because of the huge increase in house building in the area, there has been a massive increase to our already-overcrowded road network with HGVs connected with the construction industry.

Particularly, it has been noticed in Upper Hale Road (A3016) and after a bit of research it has become obvious the Collard site in Beacon Hill Road (B3013) just over the border in Hampshire has been expanded recently.

Members of the North Farnham Voice Group decided to carry out a one-day survey to monitor the movements.

There were 212 vehicle movements into and out of the Collard site covering a range of different trucks. These included mostly 18-20 ton tipper lorries, six top eight- yard skip lorries, smaller tipper lorries typically used by the small builder carrying an estimated two tons, a quantity of scaffolding lorries both large and small and some low loaders carrying heavy plant.

From this site, vehicles can only leave by heading north towards Church Crookham/ Fleet or south towards the roundabout at the junction of the Odiham Road (A287). From here they either turn right towards Odiham or left towards Farnham via Upper Hale Road (A3016) or into Farnham via Folly Hill and Castle Hill.

The group decided to set up another survey on the same day at the Folly Hill traffic lights just opposite the filling station to monitor how many trucks were continuing through the lights into Upper Hale Road or turning right into Folly Hill, having been notified by a resident of West Street that the trucks were using the town as a rat run from the Coxbridge roundabout to the A287.

At Folly lights we monitored a total of 236 movements of similar vehicles, although the builders’ small tipper trucks were not included (they were at Beacon Hill). With these vehicles included, the figure would have increased.

Clearly some of the traffic going south from the Beacon Hill Road site goes towards Odiham, which is why the numbers don’t match, and some of the traffic from Folly Hill and Upper Hale Road goes elsewhere. But there is strong evidence the majority is linked to the Beacon Hill site.

The present HGV restrictions in Farnham town centre, particularly from the east, has moved more HGVs on to the Upper Hale Road and others in north Farnham.

It was not built for this volume or type of traffic and it is only a question of time, with the restricted road width sections and narrow pavements, before a serious accident occurs.

The Collard site is licenced for 25,000 tons of imported material per year which presumably means they can take out 25,000 tons. On the basis of the movements recorded on the survey day – February 23 – the conservative estimate is 785 tons were moved in or out of the site that day.

Extrapolating for the year – 5.5 days per week x 52 weeks – this totals some 225,000 tons verses a licence limit of 25,000 ton of imported material.

Members of the North Farnham Voice Group will be writing to the Environmental Agency regarding the monitoring quantities of the material being handled by this site.

Will the Farnham Infrastructure Programme help to address this as part of Farnham’s overall problem ?

Will the HGV ban stop this ?

D Hankin

Member of the North Farnham Voice Group

Upper Hale Road, Farnham

What do you think?

Let us know by emailing (admin@northfarnhamvoice.uk) or better still posting on our Facebook page so others can also get involved (https://www.facebook.com/groups/northfarnhamvoice)